 |
|
 Home
Products
Store
Forum
Warehouse
Contact Us
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Ghost Writer
|
Gerard S. Cohen
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 975
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: Sep 2001
|
posted 03-08-2010 12:16 PM
This film noir drama concerns the life of a scriptwriter hired to edit and rewrite the memoirs of British Prime Minister. The latter is under increasing pressure from the press and public for his agreement with American administration policies in the invasion of Iraq.
Despite the challenges of the job and the realization that the previous ghost writer has died under mysterious circumstances, the writer is persuaded to accept the task by the huge monetary award promised. But his own ethical sense is awakened when he realizes he is not permitted to write the truth as he uncovers it through interview, but is expected to rewrite history to promote the minister's reputation.
Historical parallels are obvious, but the minister is not exactly a copy of Tony Blair, and though the character's alliance with the CIA is important to the plot, the American president and his advisors are never mentioned. (A Condalezza Rice look-a-like is glimpsed in a shot, and Hallibrton becomes Hathaway in the film, but the film is not an anti-US hatchet job.)
The real mystery is the actual motive of the prime minister in always deferring to the CIA policies despite the opposition at home and the ruin it caused to his present and future.
The film is extremely well-written and acted. The viewer feel himself in the position of the ghost writer, forced to meet ever-shortening deadlines, pressured to go against his conscience, and fearing for his life as paranoia becomes reality. No-one is really what he seems, and this becomes frightening.
This is a real, literate counterspy mystery of a kind I seldom read or view, but well worth the experience.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic